


No Reason to Stay

by Awakening5



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: And it's not good, Disenchanted Luke, F/M, Finn knows what he wants, Reunion, Rey has no reason to stay, Rose is missing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 06:13:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11777145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awakening5/pseuds/Awakening5
Summary: Finn isn't a hero. He went back for Rey, not to save the Galaxy. When he recovers from his injuries, nothing about that has changed.Or, what would happen if Rose wasn't there to convince Finn he is a hero.**Some potential spoilers revealed in the EW article about Finn.





	No Reason to Stay

**Author's Note:**

> From EW: “It got really real for him,” Boyega tells EW. “And he just wants to get away and not be involved. His intention in the first place was to go to the Outer Rim. He was always brought back [in  _The Force Awakens_ ,], but this is his chance to get away and perhaps find Rey and go off together. He’s trying to do that at first.”
> 
> But then some interactions with Rose stop him from leaving.
> 
> This is a 'what if' already changing a movie and plot I don't _actually_ have any idea about. What if you take away the hero's hero (or the hero's hero's hero)? Spoiler alert: the galaxy needs Rose.

 

"Finn, buddy," Poe starts, but Finn merely shakes his head, packing up his bag with what few belongings he has—all given to him by the Resistance. They also helped him return to relatively good health. He suspects his back will forever twinge in pain, but he's up and moving. Despite these gifts from the Resistance, Finn doesn't feel indebted. He helped Poe escape, after all. He helped return BB-8 and the map to Skywalker. He helped bring down the shields and open up a hole in the thermal oscillator of Starkiller Base.

No, he can walk away now from the fight, conscience clear and debts paid.

"We've already had this conversation, Poe," Finn replies tiredly. He sits on his bed in his medbay room, ready to leave this place for good. The sterile atmosphere reminds him far too much of the First Order. "This was never about the galaxy's war for me. This was about leaving an evil organization and actually living a real life."

"There won't be a life to live if the First Order takes over!" Poe argues as he sits next to the former 'trooper, but Finn just lets out a sardonic chuckle and raises his eyebrows at his friend.

"First of all, what difference is one foot soldier going to make? If the First Order would have won without me fighting them, they'll win with me fighting them. Secondly," Finn adds, holding up two fingers. "There's already been three different governments in charge in three generations. And people have gone on living. I'd like to be one that goes on living."

Poe shakes his head. "They stole your childhood!"

Finn doesn't often get upset with his friend, but this strikes a nerve. His voice comes out cold, even to him. "Which is why I won't let them steal another second. I'm finally in charge for the first time."

Poe looks down, properly abashed. Finn knows he didn't mean any harm by it, and forgives him before his apology even comes. "Sorry, Finn. Of course you have every right to do what you want with your life. You _should_ be out experiencing what you never could. And I shouldn't have assumed anything—even if you _did_ give the Resistance our single greatest victory."

"It's alright, Poe," Finn says, giving Poe a one-armed hug and squeezing his shoulder. "But you know as well as I do that that was more Solo than me. I just went back for Rey."

Poe looked up, one last bit of hope in his eyes. "Who is going to fight with _us_ , Finn."

Finn's eyebrows rose on his face once more. "Have you seen her on base? Because she's been gone for three weeks now, and there is no sign she's joined this fight."

"She went to get _Luke Skywalker_ ," Poe says meaningfully.

"Who is _also_ absent from this base," Finn replies easily. "They might join the Resistance, and they might not. I plan on finding out before I leave for the Outer Rim. But regardless, it's time for me to find out what _I_ want in life. What life even means."

"And you need a pilot," Poe says with a sad smile.

"I need a pilot."

-0-0-0-

Rey reaches out with her hand, yearning for the power that once flowed through her to flow once more. But without the adrenaline of battle, the fear of her enemy, and the emotion of losing Finn, she can't draw on that Force that helped her defeat Kylo Ren.

And without Luke Skywalker, she can't hope to understand the Force outside of those extenuating circumstances. She thought she was supposed to be here. She thought the Force had demanded it of her. But if destiny isn't keeping her on this rock, then she needs to go back to Finn.

She glares over in Luke's direction, who spent his days alternating between watching her despondently and staring off the cliffs moodily.

He isn't a complete jerk, of course. The man is kind, even if he is emotionally destroyed. He feeds her, provides shelter for her, and talks with her.

Well, mostly she talks. He had explained in no uncertain terms on her first day here that he would not train her. That he couldn't trust the Force any more, and that the Jedi needed to end. That all the Jedi brought was an impossible ideal that yielded pain and suffering when the ideal failed to be met.

And despite three weeks of pleading and reasoning, he remains firm in his conviction. There are moments when she thinks she's made a difference—she's stayed here this long for a reason. But the moments are fleeting. And Rey still hasn't learned a thing about the Force except that she can't wield it, and obviously she doesn't hold any right to it.

And so is her mood when Rey spots a ship inbound to their small island. Even Luke is standing from his brooding stone and watching the incoming ship. Unlike the Falcon, this one is small, and flies quickly to the top of the island to land.

"Luke," Rey calls out, holding out the light saber for him to take to defend himself. He shakes his head stubbornly, and a sigh escapes Rey. She grabs her blaster, but the ship is close enough now for her to see it labeled clearly as Resistance.

Cold wind blows through the hair Rey has finally let down. The sky is grey with clouds that constantly consider weeping. Luke looks apprehensively at the ship as it lands, and Rey has to wonder if he's terrified it's his sister. Surely she could get the old man to take action once more.

But it's not General Organa that emerges from the ship. Rey's body freezes as Finn comes into view, peering out as he walks down the ramp. Her heart leaps within her and she wants to sprint to him, because he is here. _Finn_ is _here_!

But she's still frozen to the spot, though she can feel her face has burst into a grin. And he's smiling back at her, the sight a brilliant light in this sea of shadow she's been swimming in for three weeks.

He takes a step towards her, and it breaks the spell that's kept her frozen to the spot. She all but sprints to him, and they meet in a tight embrace. Finn spins her around as his arms wrap snuggly around her, and Rey feels like home has returned to her while she's been off searching for it.

"You're okay!" Rey manages, and only now realizes she has tears on her face.

Finn's pulls back just far enough to look her in her eyes and smiles once more. "I am." He reaches a hand up to brush away a tear. "And you?"

In the momentary euphoria, reality crashes back into Rey. Her face must fall, because Finn looks concerned immediately. He looks over her shoulder to spot Luke. "So this is him?" he whispers.

"He used to be," Rey responds, wishing not for the first time that Luke was more like Han, who had first uttered those words before proving them false.

Poe emerges from the ship now, and Rey decides it's time to separate from Finn, though she doesn't really want to just yet. She steps back, but her hand finds Finn's, and she leads him over to Luke.

"Finn," Rey clears her throat. "This is Luke Skywalker. Luke, Finn."

"So this is him?" Luke says, and Rey sees a hint of the Skywalker she'd heard stories of. His eyes hold a certain admiration and adventurousness at the sight of the former Stormtrooper she's told him about.

"Sir," Finn replies with a nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I assume my sister sent you to convince me there's a fight worth fighting?" he asks, and Rey sees that spark in his eyes disappear.

Finn shakes his head. "No sir. There's no fight for me."

Luke frowns, and Rey swivels her head to Finn. "So you're still leaving?" she asks, remembering his plans from back on Takodana.

Finn nods. "I'm on my way now to the Southern reaches. I just needed to stop here and..."

He hesitates and looks to the ground, and the moment of silence allows Rey to fully process his intentions. He is leaving the fight. Just as he had previously planned to do. And if he had never truly joined the fight, that means he'd gone back to Starkiller exclusively for her. He'd _only_ gone back for her.

"I needed to see you again, Rey." Finn's eyes come back up to meet hers, and Rey is shocked at how pure they are. How vulnerable. "And either tell you goodbye...or pick up a friend to start over with."

Rey's breath leaves her like she's been kicked in the gut, because the man who is now her family wants to leave the fight, and he wants her to come with. And the man she thought she'd be bringing to the fight doesn't want to go back. So what is she even doing?

She turns to Luke. "I thought the Force brought me to you."

"I'm sorry," Luke responds. "But I don't understand the Force anymore. It has only brought me and mine pain. I can't help you."

She looks back at Finn, whose brow is creased as he observes the exchange. She reaches up to cup Finn's cheek, and the crease and frown immediately disappear. "My whole life I've been waiting for my family to come back—and you finally did, Finn. If the Force didn't send me here, then I don't know what it wants. But I do know I feel like I'm home with you, Finn."

Finn broke into another brilliant smile that casts any remaining doubt from her heart. "Then let's go home, Rey."

-0-0-0-

Years pass, and the battle continues. On the Outer Rim, Finn and Rey get news updates a few months late. They mourn when they hear of Luke Skywalker's death from an attack by the Knights of Ren. They cheer at victories by the Resistance, and don't speak of the First Order triumphs.

When news reaches them of the First Order's ultimate victory, they both feel a measure of guilt that they had left the fight. But they're also happy together. Even if the First Order manages to extend its reach beyond even the Empire's, it won't reach them for a generation or two.

And in that time, a scavenger will fly ships, mother children, and be loved unconditionally. A stormtrooper will choose every day how to live his life, give children a childhood he never had, and have a beloved companion at his side without blaster fire threatening to take her from him.

Together, they will make a safe and loving home in a dark and frightened galaxy.

**Author's Note:**

> I've thought about Finn and Rey's reunion so many times since TFA. And that interview just had me like, "their reunion could totally take them away from the fight." She's only ever wanted a family. He just wanted to get away and fell in love. Each other might be enough to pull them from the fight at this point in their lives, particularly if Luke hasn't started helping Rey yet.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed. I'm so glad Rose will be a part of the /actual/ story, because I'm a fan of that galaxy far, far away. And it needs Finn fighting for it.


End file.
